1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery exchange service system suitable for an exchange service for a battery pack to be used as a power source of an electronic device or an electrical device, a terminal and a charging method for the battery exchange service system, and a portable device for use in the battery exchange service system.
2. Description of Related Art
The recent rapid advance of technology has promoted a reduction in size and weight and an increase in functionality of portable electronic devices. Accordingly, the penetration rate of those devices has dramatically increased. Particularly, mobile phones show remarkable progress. In mobile phones, not only making calls but a variety of usage methods are enabled such as sending and receiving E-mails, viewing Web information, taking pictures and movies, watching and listening to TV and radio, listening to music, etc., downloaded through a line, managing a user's schedule, and executing software such as built-in games or games obtained by download. In addition to the above, cordless technology for portable electronic devices such as notebook computers, PDAs, digital cameras, video cameras, and electronic books and electrical devices and electronic devices such as cordless cleaners, electric-assist bicycles, and electric vehicles is advancing.
In order to drive such devices, secondary batteries which can be repeatedly charged and recharged are used. Particularly, by the appearance of nickel metal hydride batteries and lithium-ion batteries, a reduction in size and weight of secondary batteries is promoted and an increase in capacity of batteries is implemented, significantly contributing to a reduction in size and weight and an increase in functionality of devices.
However, even though the capacity of secondary batteries is increased in response to demands for a reduction in size and an increase in functionality of devices, there is a limit to secondary battery storage power and thus under the present circumstances, a user uses a battery while worrying about the amount of charge remaining in the battery. There may be a case in which when a user is away from home or office, the amount of charge remaining in a battery is used up and accordingly the battery is dead while a device is in use, disabling the use of the device. Recently, simple chargers capable of charging batteries from dry batteries have been available. Some users charge batteries using such chargers and some users carry their chargers at all times and charge batteries in a place where there is a wall outlet. However, it is inconvenient to carry chargers at all times. When primary batteries such as dry batteries are used, the batteries are disposable and thus the costs borne by users are high and also such batteries are not desirable from the point of view of the environment and resources. It may be considered to carry spare batteries; however, spare batteries need to be charged in advance, which is very cumbersome. Furthermore, when fuel batteries are used as power sources, it is considered to carry fuel cartridges; however, carrying spare fuel cartridges is also cumbersome.
To overcome such inconveniences, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-7348 proposes a system for renting a battery pack. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-7348 discloses a system in which a user pays a deposit and obtains a battery pack from a distributor and when the user uses a device and the amount of charge remaining in the battery pack decreases and thus the user brings the battery pack to the distributor, a battery pack usage charge is calculated by subtracting the amount of charge remaining in the battery pack.
In addition to the system for exchanging a battery, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-288539 discloses a system in which data indicating the number of charges and discharges of a battery pack is transmitted to a rental company through a network and for charging according to the number of charges and discharges of a battery pack. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-288539 discloses a system in which data indicating the number of charges and discharges of a battery pack is transmitted to a rental company through a network and the rental company calculates and charges a battery pack usage charge based on the received data. In a system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-285955, a battery pack installed in a device has a function of measuring an amount of a battery used and a function of transmitting data on the measured amount of a battery used to the device together with a battery ID code and the device has a function of receiving the data on the amount of a battery used from the battery pack and transferring the data to a charging server. The charging server has a function of calculating a battery usage charge based on the received data on the amount of a battery used and a function of transmitting the calculated battery usage charge to an account management server such as a bank.